


Helping In Spite

by ReyDoneGoofed



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bucky Barnes Recovering, Canon Divergence - Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Civil War Fix-It, Epic Friendship, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Light Angst, M/M, Natasha Romanov & Tony Stark Friendship, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Pepper Potts Is a Good Bro, Steve isn't an asshole, Tags May Change, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Still Has Arc Reactor, Tony Stark-centric, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:34:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23501668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReyDoneGoofed/pseuds/ReyDoneGoofed
Summary: Tony Stark wasn’t the easiest to get along with, he knew that. He was a hothead at times, had very loud opinions and very publically pointed out people’s vulnerabilities. So when Steve ‘Captain America’ Rogers ditched the already fragile friendship that connected the two for his old flame turned murder happy assassin, Tony couldn’t figure out why he’d been surprised.Cue Steve and Bucky returning with the hopes of rekindling the broken trust between the split group.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 10
Kudos: 76





	Helping In Spite

**Author's Note:**

> Yo I started writing this like a year ago but never finished and with the whole quarantine thing I drank a lot of coffee and am listening to early 2000's punk rock jams and now life is great help me I think I'm addicted to caffeine I'm high on life mofos stay safe homebros!!!!!!!!!1
> 
> Also pretending that everything's okay in the marvel cinematic universe should be my profession at this point like honestly bruh
> 
> I think this will be the first time yall are seeing how much of an absolute frerakin crackhead I am and I don't know how I'm gonna feel about this later.... oh well 
> 
> Importante question at the end notes bois.

Tony Stark wasn’t the easiest to get along with, he knew that. He was a hothead at times, had very loud opinions and very publically pointed out people’s vulnerabilities. So when Steve ‘Captain America’ Rogers ditched the already fragile friendship that connected the two for his old flame turned murder happy assassin, Tony couldn’t figure out why he’d been surprised. 

“Tony, I need your signature on a few documents, the tech company from Germany is riding my ass on this one,” Pepper Potts spoke clearly as she walked into the lab.

Tony evidently didn’t hear her, he was elbow deep in a new car he was restoring. The genius CEO of Stark Industries and part-time superhero had his music blasting some punk song from 94’. If this were another life Pepper might tell you the grease stains on his authentically faded T-shirt were endearing, but this is the real world and the real world needed Tony Stark's signature, not his punk rock persona that really should have stayed in the ’90s.

“Jarvis, can you turn down the music?” Pepper politely asked the AI that ran the tower and all of Tony’s life that Pepper didn’t.

“Of course Ms. Potts,” Jarvis replied as the music turned off completely.

“J I swear I'll donate you to the children’s hospital if you don’t-”

“Tony,” Pepper interrupted the vacant threat.

“Pepper light of my life, what’s up?” He asked grabbing a rag from Dum-E and wiping off his grease-stained hands.

“I need you to sign a few papers, we finally negotiated a deal that benefits us with that company from Germany, we need to solidify everything before they decide they don’t like our terms, again,” Pepper explained, setting the papers down on Tony's main desk, “We need them signed as soon as possible, so I’m going to wait here and watch you sign them, and then once you do, you can go back to whatever it is you were doing to that car,” Pepper smiled at her friend.

Tony sighed and navigated through the clutter to his desk grabbing the contract and an overly expensive fountain pen from Paris that he honestly has no idea when he got. The pen was probably gifted to him by some jackass that he had to play nice with.

“Pep, honestly, I don’t see why they needed my signature for this. If they don’t like us that much I’ll just buy them and use their facilities for storage,” Tony dismissed with a wave of his hand. Once the papers were signed and dated, Pepper collected them and looked at her friend and boss.

“Tony, how are you?” Her voice turned serious as she relaxed her shoulders.

“I’m a big boy Pep, I can handle a little rebuff, I’m fine,” Tony responded with a curt empty smile. 

“Do you know where they are?” Pepper asked knowing the answer already.

“Apparently our favorite King is harboring US criminals, but that’s fine, it’s not my business anyway, never was,” Tony spoke clearly, doing his best to put his good friend at ease.

“And how are the amendments coming? Jim told me you started working on them the moment you got back,” Pepper pried hoping to get some insight into Tony’s current mental state.

“The UN is offering deals to each of them, a good old ultimatum, with the exception of Barnes. Scott Lang is probably gonna sign off, take the deal of house arrest for almost two years so he can be with his daughter,” Tony informed. 

“And what about Barnes?” Pepper inquired.

“I’m working on that one,” Tony sighed feeling a small headache just from thinking about that entire can of worms, “I’m meeting with a few officials tomorrow, we’re getting together a specialized team of psychiatrists, lawyers, a few PR people, and maybe some military reps to help with the whole POW for a lifetime thing, other than that everyone is getting the choice, stay a criminal and go to prison or sign the accords and be a free man with the added bonus of helping rebuild Shield and the Avengers from the ground up,” Tony nods to Peppers tight expression. 

“Heavy stuff, have you spoken to anyone about what happened?” She asks, referring to the bunker.

“No, and I don’t plan to, I’m fine Pep, I don’t need to talk to anyone about anything, I’m fine,” Tony figured if he said it enough it might eventually be true.

“As long as you’re okay,” Pepper spoke with a weight to her words that held more meaning than Tony liked, “Will that be all Mr. Stark?”

“That’ll be all Ms. Potts,” Tony smiled warmly for the first time in weeks, the pairs inside joke warming his heart.

Pepper smiled and walked briskly towards the door, only pausing once she’d opened it.

“Oh and Tony? You have a few emails from Natasha, they seemed important,” Pepper said and left, going back to her own office. She didn’t know, but he had a meeting with the other board members and they all signed off on her new position as COO of Stark Industries, he knew she’d kill him if he signed over the company as a whole, but this way, she’ll be able to have more authority and a better title than Tony Stark's secretary, the fancy new title also came with a fancy new pay raise so she’ll be happy with that.

“Jay, bring up these emails from Natasha,” Tony asked and turned to the new holo screen he developed last July.

“You have three emails from Natasha Romanov, should I read them out?” Jarvis asked with his usual snark.

“No, it’s fine Jay,” Tony rolled his eyes and began reading the three emails in order of receiving.

> _ -Энтони,  _
> 
> _ The vacation is going well but I’m starting to feel a little homesick. I might have to ditch the rest of the family and come home sooner than planned. _
> 
> _ -Энтони,  _
> 
> _ T _ _ his vacation is far too long. How is work? I heard you’re working harder than normal for that contract with the 117. The family will be pleased to hear of the newest developments, I think I’m not the only one feeling homesick. _
> 
> _ -Энтони,  _
> 
> _ The vacation is ending soon I hear. I wasn’t the first to return home. It was difficult to sit them down and make them read the will, but I feel it was the best decision. He was very reluctant, but I believe the grieving has ended. I’ll see you at home, tell Father F that I’ll visit the church as soon as I can. _
> 
>   
>    
> 

As Tony read he understood the discretion with which Natasha was writing him. The others probably didn’t know she was in direct contact with him, it was probably for the best.

“Jay, call director eyepatch,” Tony gave a small chuckle to the thought of Fury being a pastor for a church with how much the one-eyed man cussed.

“Of course sir.”

Tony only had to wait a few seconds before he was greeted with the commanding voice of Director Fury.

“Stark, what the fuck do you want, I’m up to my knees in shit with the aftermath of Hydra,” Fury spoke as elegantly as always.

“I got word from itsy bitsy, you’ll have help with damage control soon enough,” Tony spoke with his false media cockiness.

“About damn time, you got any other news Stark?”

“Nope, but if you want help with data mining just let me know and I’ll send you a little helper bunny,” Tony ended the conversation with that, quickly hanging up the phone in case the line wasn’t fully secure.

“Jay, any word on project wonderland?” He asked, twirling a small screwdriver between his fingers.

“The team in charge of the project is still going through files, but they are confident that they’ll have answers ready for your meeting tomorrow,” Jarvis replied.

“Good, I’m going to email Itsy bitsy,” Tony nodded to himself and displayed his keyboard.

“Very well sir,” Jarvis said with a relief that never failed to make Tony proud of how human he was.

> _ -Itsy Bitsy, I hope you got the tan you were looking for on your vacation! How did Alice react to the will? I know everything was probably a shock to our Mad Hatter too... About that, how is the injury healing? Is the family still angry? Oh, I contacted Father F, he’s excited to have you back in mass, he says he misses your help wrangling the kiddos. The ant farm is back in working order too. Bring me back a T-shirt. _

  
  


The next few days went along slowly, Tony and Natasha traded coded emails back and forth. It was almost a full week before project Wonderland had a promising outlook.

  
  


> _ -Itsy Bitsy, The red queen has been defeated, Alice and the Mad Hatter can rest easy. Is your Vacation over yet? _
> 
> _ -Энтони, _
> 
> _ The family and I will be returning home shortly, I do love the story of Wonderland, thank you for that. The Mad Hatter isn’t the same as he was and Alice is taking that better than we expected but is still struggling, I think Alice will be delighted to hear about the Red Queen. Do you think the man will ever remember wonderland? _
> 
> _ -Itsy Bitsy, I’m hoping I can help with a potion or two, but don’t fret, the Mad Hatter will be safe back in wonderland. _

  
  


Tony and his team of people devised a plan to reform Barnes and help his public image, but things weren't exactly going to schedule… And then suddenly the UN cleared the rogue avengers to return to the United States on a few new conditions. They had to reside at the Avengers compound and Tony had to play as their liaison for the first six months of their return. Least to say Tony wasn’t the happiest camper out there. He knew why- he did. It was so the public could see Iron Man, Captain America, and The Winter Soldier getting along and playing nice, he understood, but he didn't like it. He was still hurt and angry with Steve for what the man did. It would take a lot more than a PR team to fix Tony and Steve’s relationship behind closed doors.

Tony shook their hands for the cameras and once they were away from prying eyes he retreated to his lab, hellbent on flooding his days with work. He filled the next few days with his newest project; replace Barnes arm for a new one, Tony couldn't stand having Hydra tech in his compound. And life went on, Tony ran his company from the comfortability of his secret lair as he likes to call it, Pepper finally got that promotion, and the Avengers were all together playing house.

Tony created a new safe haven for himself. It was unrealistic and he knew that, but dammit he was gonna enjoy it while he could, before it came crashing down around him. And he did, he had pity parties with his bots Dum-E, U, and Butterfingers, he created and created and just kept on creating. Tony’s couch became his normal bed which was just awful for his back… don’t tell Pepper, but he was starting to finally be okay and Tony didn’t want to mess that up by coming in contact with the others.

Judgment day came. In the form of Pepper Potts and the Maria Stark Foundation’s annual gala. PR decided that the entirety of the Avengers coming out to the gala would help boost popularity amongst the disgraced group and Tony couldn't exactly argue that, he knew they were right.

“Tony, come on, the gala is in four hours, go find a suit that looks nice and get ready, god knows you take an hour to do your hair alone.” Pepper Potts was at her wits end with Tony. She understood why he didn't want to go anywhere near The Rogue Avengers, but he needed to come back to reality, “You can't avoid them forever,” Her voice softens.

“I can certainly try,” Tony spouts back. When Pepper exits the lab, leaving Tony with a pointed look and clear instructions to get ready, the billionaire decides she was right. Dum-E rolls up to him with a concerned beep, “It’s fine Dum-E, Pep’s right, I need to do this,” He sighs. 

Never say Tony Stark isn’t a petty man, he is and he owns it, and so he decided to feel good about himself, the best way to say fuck you to a broken heart is to mend it. Tony spent the hours he had left getting ready for another life-changing event that was bound to happen eventually.

  
  


Tony Stark waltzed into the gala with looks to kill. A stunning three-piece suit that was perfectly fitted to his form, complementing every curve of his hips and legs, his broad shoulders and lean back. Tony turned more heads, walking in his usual fifteen minutes late than he did at any other gala before. He wore burgundy slim fit pants, jet black dress shoes, a burgundy jacket that covered his vest and a white shirt with a black tie. His cufflinks were mini ironman helmets painted and finished with a beautiful rose gold color. Yeah, he looked damn good and he knew it.

Tony smirked from under his rose gold sunglasses that he slowly pocketed. He made eye contact with the two men that made his heart fall into the pit of his stomach, Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. The two men stood side by side in simple black suits, Steve looked as flawless as ever bestowing Tony a small smile from his pink lips. Bucky Barnes, however, looked like he’d rather be anywhere but here, and honestly? Tony got that.

The billionaire made a beeline for Barnes, the only way he knew how to hurt Steve as much as Steve hurt him, was to make a point of showing how okay he was without the all American soldier. Tony knew it might be petty, but who cares. He was allowed this, he was hurt and all he wanted was to feel better. He deserved to feel better.

“Care for a dance Winter Wonderland?” Tony smiled politely at Bucky. 

“What?” Bucky replied immediately.

“Dance, you, me, right now,” Tony repeated, ignoring the look he received from Rogers.

“Tony, I don't think that’s best,” Steve cut in, his puppy dog eyes showing a pinched expression.

“How about you let freezy-pop here answer for himself?” Tony says with a cutting look.

“No, Stevie’s right, It’s best I not,” He spoke, a mix of accents bending his syllables into a unique mess.

“Fine, I really wanted to get you all alone so I could reveal my master plan. I’ve been working on some things that’ll help you get rid of those pesky little trigger words. Also, I want that hydra trash out of my tower,” Tony says with his old cockiness.

“Tony,” Steve says with a warning and Tony quickly realizes his mistake.

“Hydra trash meaning what’s left of that arm of yours, honestly it’s a travesty and I’ve already been working on a brand new upgraded Stark tech arm for you to replace it with, Hydra didn't know what they were doing when they put that thing on you, but with the help of the brilliant doctor Cho, I was thinking we could remedy your arm issue as quickly and painlessly as possible,” Tony ended his speech, slightly deterred by the strange looks that the two super soldiers were sending him, “What? Is there something on my face? I swear if I've been walking around with something on my face and nobody told me, I’m going to sue all of you,” Tony states jokingly, just wanting to cut out the thick tension that swallowed his stomach and churned his emotions.

“Tony, you’d really do all that for Buck?” Steve asks., that same puppy-dog look he always used to get covering over his features.

“Well technically I’ve already done it, the schematics for the arm are all almost done, I just need a few last finishing details and of course consent from our Manchurian Candidate to get the ball rolling on this. So, Buckaroo, what do you say?” He smirks at the astonished look on the former assassin’s face.

“Yeah, yes, Tony you can make me a new arm, doll,” Bucky had that mixed bag accent that was just so interesting to the billionaire and Tony had to repress the shiver that threatened to rush through his spine.

“Perfect, come by the lab whenever you get a chance, you can even bring Rogers if you need to, and if you don't want anyone else there, say the word and Jay will lock down the lab from them and we will get everything done with ample peace and quiet,” Tony smiled widely, his first genuine smile to the man.

“Can Steve be with me?” Bucky asks with an almost small voice that Tony absolutely vowed to help.

“Yeah, whatever makes you comfortable,” Tony nods even though he was hoping not to have to deal with Steve directly for a little bit longer. 

Tony dismissed himself from the conversation and made his way to the bar, he didn't catch Steve’s forlorn expression pointed his way. He orders a straight bourbon fully intending to lose his troublesome thoughts. Whoever said staying sober was better for his health obviously hadn’t met fully sober him.

“Tony! Fancy meeting you here!” Tony’s already dampened mood sours further at the voice. Justin Hammer drops onto the barstool next to the avenging superhero.

“Justin,” Tony nods politely, taking a long drink from his glass.

“Already hitting the bottle are we?” He says, his intentions of being a general nuisance to Tony’s life clear as the now empty glass in front of him.

“Only when you’re around,” Tony snarks back with a sarcastic tight-lipped smile.

“Lucky me, So I was thinking Stark-” Justin started.

“No,” Tony was not in the mood for dealing with whatever idea Justin Hammer was about to try to sell to him.

“You didn’t even let me finish,” Justin’s slimy voice starts a childish whine smothering his tone.

“It’d be better if you didn’t,” Tony said. He was seriously not in the mood to be dealing with Justin Hammer right now.

“Hear me out. I was thinking that we could get out of here Y’ know, go find somewhere more fun and-” Justing was cut off by the man whose arm wrapped around Tony’s shoulders.

“Hey, there you are. I was wondering where you ran off to, let’s go dance. Oh, hey, Justin. I’m gonna steal Tony away, we have a lot planned tonight,” Steve had saved the day as usual and it pissed Tony off to no end. It’d be so much easier if Steve could act like an asshole and not make Tony like him like this.

“Steve Rogers! You and Tony are-”

“Having a wonderful time  _ together _ ,” Steve emphasized, scaring away the spineless bastard. Hammer made a sorrowful retreat.

“You didn't have to do that,” Tony said, motioning to the bartender for another drink.

“Yeah I did, I didn’t forget how much of a sleazy bastard Hammar was,” Steve replied honestly, “Tony, please just talk to me. If you wanna never see my face again, I’m not okay with that and I can’t guarantee I’ll go along with that, but at least tell me. You’ve been avoiding me the whole time the teams been back,” Steve pleaded solemnly.

“Wheres Barnes, is he all by himself?” Tony deflects.

“Tony,” Steve says warningly, knowing a deflection for what it was.

“Avoidance is easier,” Tony says raising the glass to his lips.

“Trust me on this, doll, it really ain’t,” Bucky joined the Tony Stark pity party at the bar.

“I should have said this to you the moment you came over to talk to Buck, but I was a bit surprised you’d come over at all,” Steve replied running his hand through his hair, a nervous tick Tony hated that he remembered.

“Because I’m not the type to help people like that?” Tony asked, trying to goad Steve.

“Now you’re just being difficult. Tony, I might not have seen it at first, but all you do is help people, in your own way,” Steve spoke lightly.

“Stevie go away for a sec, I wanna talk to him alone.” The confidence that Tony saw flow through Bucky was sudden and unexpected to the billionaire.

“Okay, okay,” Steve said putting up his hands in mock surrender before turning and starting to walk away.

“I know Stevie’s a bull-headed asshole sometimes-” Bucky starts.

“I can still hear you y’know,” Steve said turning back to the pair in mock offense.

“Shut up. I know he can be dense at times, but he really can’t fix anything that he’s done unless you let him. Thank you for doing this for me, making me a new arm, that’s amazing, you don’t have to do that but you are. You also don’t  _ have _ to forgive steve for being an idiot but you  _ could _ and you two could be friends again,” Bucky said with an air to him that Tony was slightly proud of, only slightly because he really didn’t want to be having this conversation but it showed how much progress Bucky was making with the support system Tony bundled up for him.

Tony let Buckys words wash over him and soak in, it was the first time in a while the genius wasn’t entirely sure how to respond, he knew Bucky had a point and Tony wasn’t sure what he would have done if his and Steve’s situations were reversed.

“Think about it at least okay?” Bucky asks and Tony just nods drinking the rest of his bourbon and deciding he didn’t need more.

With the end of that conversation, the wonder twins went off to sulk in the corner of the ballroom as they had been doing before Tony initially approached them. Tony stood from the bar and wandered the room in search of a certain badass spider related woman. Tony and Natasha hadn’t spoken since the emails before the rogue avengers had been officially pardoned. After only a few minutes of searching, he spotted Clint Barton looking as uncomfortable as ever but quite enjoying the free snack bar. Natasha shouldn’t be far if Clints here.

“Looking for someone?” 

Tony whirls around to see Nat standing behind him in a black maxi dress with a high slit and long lace sleeves.

“I found her,” Tony smiles at his friend and they share a long-awaited hug before parting.

“Nice suit,” Nat comments.

“Nice Dress,” Tony responds.

“It’s good to see you out of the lab Tony, you look lighter,” Natasha smiles warmly.

“Well, I figured I should grace the world with my presence eventually,” Tony jokes.

“I saw you spoke with them, how did that go?” Natasha asks.

“It went… Well,” Tony says with a nod after a slight pause.

“That’s good,” Natasha says openly.

“Hows Clint?” Tony asks knowing the other wasn’t too fond of him after the raft situation.

“Better, still an idiot,” She says with a friendly smile.

“Good- That’s good,” Tony nods looking over at Clint who was inspecting a slice of cheese to put on the square cracker.

“He doesn’t hate you, Tony,” Natasha says knowingly, “He was pissed but he understands what happened now,” Natasha sighs at her friend.

“Yeah,” Tony nods.

“So, does this mean you’ll come up for air more often? You should come to the common room tomorrow around six, it’s Clint’s turn to choose the movie but I’m sure it won’t be too bad,” Natasha jokes and Tony nods.

“I’ll think about it,” Tony says.

“You better,” Natasha says with a feigned threat, “I’ll see you around Tones.”

Tony responds to that with an eye roll and decides he’s had enough of the ball. The billionaire poses for a few photographs before quickly heading out and back to the tower

**Author's Note:**

> Hallo! Danke for reading homebros, comments, and kudos fuel me like coffee.
> 
> Yo should I make this Tony/ Steve/ Bucky or should it stay with Stevie boi being the bestie?


End file.
